This invention relates to testing compressible material.
Various gauges are known in the prior art for measuring the thickness of a compressible material, such as a gasket material. One prior art gauge utilizes a weight that forces a probe into the compressible material. A sensor measures the amount of deformation of the compressible material due to the weight. The measured deformation is compared to an expected deformation to provide an indication whether the compressible material is of the proper thickness and construction. While the prior art gauge has proven relatively promising in accurately testing a compressible medium, it would be desirable to improve its construction.
In particular, use of the known gauge involves placing a weight at a location in the center of the gauge, but the structure of the known gauge does not ensure that the weight is accurately centered on the gauge. This may result in the weight not producing proper amount of deformation and the test giving inaccurate results. Further, the prior art gauge is allowed to fall freely under the influence of the weight. If the gauge falls at a rate outside of a predetermined range, it may not cause the proper amount of deformation.